San Bernardino Mayor Carey Davis, left, and Councilman John Valdivia emerged from a field of seven mayoral candidates in the 2018 primary election on Tuesday, June 5. The two will square off in November’s general election. (Staff file photos, The Sun/SCNG)

San Bernardino’s next mayor will likely be one of two familiar faces, and a nine-year City Council incumbent has apparently bested two challengers following Tuesday’s primary election.

In final unofficial results posted early Wednesday, June 6, mayoral challenger and Councilman John Valdivia was leading Mayor Carey Davis by about 950 votes.

Longtime school board member Danny Tillman was a distant third in the field of seven running for the city’s top elected office.

On Wednesday, the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters said it still had 77,914 ballots to count, including damaged and provisional ballots, as well as others that require further review. An update is expected at 4 p.m. Thursday, June 7.

Davis and Valdivia did not respond to calls seeking comment Wednesday.

When reached by phone Tuesday after polls closed, Valdivia said he believed the results show the “community desires new leadership at City Hall.”

According to early figures, voter turnout this year was in line with 2013, when Davis and former Councilwoman Wendy McCammack advanced from a field of 10 candidates to a 2014 runoff. After finishing behind McCammack in the primary, Davis, a political newcomer at the time, received 56 percent of the vote in the February general to win the mayor’s seat.

Whichever city leader wins the November runoff will welcome two new faces onto the City Council.

WARD 1

Wednesday’s unofficial results showed Gil Botello, a career public servant, and Ted Sanchez, a community leader and small business manager, well ahead of their competitors for the seat the retiring Councilwoman Virginia Marquez will vacate at the end of her term.

Botello won 355 votes, or 34.80 percent, while Sanchez had 350 votes, or 34.31 percent.

Although Botello said Wednesday he was encouraged by the results, he hopes the buildup to November’s general election includes a forum or two for residents to get to know the candidates and their respective plans for the ward.

“This is a pivotal race,” Botello added. “I would encourage my neighbors to get out, find out about the candidates and really participate in the process.”

Sanchez, meanwhile, said he was “excited to be able to still be in the campaign and looking forward to continuing to meet with voters in the 1st district and earn their vote.”

WARD 2

Political newcomers Cecilia Miranda-Dolan and Sandra Ibarra earned the most votes in San Bernardino’s smallest ward, which currently is represented by veteran and business owner Benito Barrios.

Wednesday’s returns showed Miranda-Dolan, an elementary school aide, and Ibarra, an activist, city commissioner and neighborhood association president, ahead of Barrios, who was elected in 2013.

Miranda-Dolan received 461 votes, or 39.74 percent, while Ibarra won 354 votes, or 30.52 percent. Ibarra had only nine more votes than Barrios.

If the figures hold, Miranda-Dolan and Ibarra will head to November’s general election; not since Susan Lien’s two-term tenure on the council ended in early 2006 has a woman represented the 2nd Ward.

Like Botello, Miranda-Dolan said she would like to see more citizen participation in November.

“The voice of every family matters,” she said.

In anticipation of the general election, Miranda-Dolan said she plans to reach out to and meet with potential constituents to hear their concerns.

Ibarra did not return a call for comment, and Barrios could not be reached late Wednesday.

WARD 4

Tuesday’s primary election appeared to determine a clear winner in San Bernardino’s largest ward.

Brian Whitehead covers San Bernardino for The Sun. Bred in Grand Terrace, he graduated from Riverside Notre Dame High and Cal State Fullerton. For seven years, he covered high school and college sports for The Orange County Register. Before landing at The Sun, he was the city beat reporter for Buena Park, Fullerton and La Palma.